One of my all-time favorite movies is the 1993 hit Tombstone, so when we had the opportunity to visit the actual wild west town of Tombstone, Arizona, we took it! The “town too tough to die” still survives in the San Pedro River Valley of Cochise County, offering visitors a fairly authentic wild west experience (with a good touch of touristy stuff, of course). One thing is for certain: the historic town of Tombstone isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
History
What would become the town of Tombstone was founded by Ed Schieffelin in 1877 (in then Pima County, Arizona Territory). He was in the region as part of a scouting expedition against the Chiricahua Apaches and would wander away from camp to look for rocks- other soldiers told him he would find nothing but his own tombstone. Luckily for Ed, he found silver and the news of this strike spread quickly- he named the first mine “Tombstone.”
In 1879, the town was laid out on a mesa in an area then known as the Goose Flats. Throughout the 1880s, the town’s growth exploded as local mines produced an incredible amount of silver (around $50-80 million worth today). Within its first years, the population grew from a few dozen prospectors and hopefuls to between 15,000 – 20,000 people (including women and children). Tombstone boasted over 100 saloons, churches, schools, theaters and restaurants.
Despite the rapid growth and great silver deposits that were pulled from the mines, Tombstone saw its share of destruction and despair. Two major fires (June 22, 1881 & May 25, 1882) caused widespread damage, which forced the town to spend a good deal of money to rebuild dozens of businesses.
By the mid 1880s, the silver mines reached depths that began to see water seepage. Initially, the amount of water struck did not significantly affect the mining work; however, by 1884, the Tombstone mines had to install massive water pumps to move the water. Then on May 26, 1886, the main pump plant caught fire and burned, which severely damaged the pump engines and other equipment. Next, the price of silver dropped and numerous miners were laid off. Tombstone began to experience decline. While Tombstone could have easily disappeared off the face of the map, the Cochise County seat remained in Tombstone until 1929, which kept it going.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Tombstone is probably best known for the shootout near the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. This famous wild west gunfight has been glamorized and depicted in numerous movies, television shows and articles; however, it is often exaggerated or incorrectly recounted. It was not an isolated incident- there were months of tension between the men who participated in the legendary fight leading up the that fateful day (the movie Tombstone does a good job showing this tension).
Although Tombstone boasted saloons that were open 24/7 and embraced endless drinking, gambling and prostitution, the people and lawmen would not stand for senseless violence and crime. This stance led to a great deal of unrest between a local outlaw group the “Cowboys” and the law men of Tombstone.
In October 1880, Virgil Earp became acting Town Marshal after then Marshal Fred White was killed by the infamous outlaw and Cowboy, Curly Bill Brocius. This event kicked off a long standoff between the Cowboys and the Earp brothers, who often encountered and arrested some of them.
By the fall of 1881, a city ordinance had been instituted that stated firearms were not allowed to be carried within the town limits. On October 26, 1881 (after a night of drinking and gambling), a few of the outlaws were in town and defiantly armed. The disgruntled Cowboys (some of whom had conflict with the Earp’s earlier that morning) began to gather on a vacant lot off Fremont Street next to C. S. Fly’s Photographic Studio when Marshal Virgil Earp heard the news. Virgil gathered his brothers Wyatt, Morgan and Doc Holliday to confront and disarm them.
It was about 3 o’clock in the afternoon of October 26, 1881 when the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday confronted the Cowboys in the lot off Fremont Street. As the afternoon sun shined bright overhead, Virgil, Morgan, and Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday confronted six Cowboys: Tom and Frank McLaury, Billy and Ike Clanton, Billy Claiborne and Wes Fuller. Virgil wanted to disarm the Cowboys and to avoid any violence; however, as Virgil demanded they throw up their hands, Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton allegedly drew and cocked their revolvers.
The actual event only lasted about 30 seconds. Nobody is exactly sure who fired the first shot, but witness testimony and research reveal that Billy Clanton and Wyatt Earp fired the first two shots of the gunfight. Billy Claiborne, Ike Clanton and Wes Fuller ran from the fight when the shooting began. After around 30 shots were fired and the smoke cleared, Virgil and Morgan Earp were wounded and three men lie dead: Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton.
Unfortunately for the Earp brothers, the Cowboys were not finished with them yet. On December 28, 1881, Virgil Earp was badly wounded after being ambushed by the Cowboys. Then on March 18, 1882, Morgan Earp was shot through the glass door of the Campbell & Hatch Saloon and Billiards hall and soon died (now that location is in a shop).
Bird Cage Theater
One of the most famous places of entertainment in Tombstone is undoubtedly the Bird Cage Theater. It opened in December 1881 and operated continuously until 1889 (and intermittently until 1894). The first owners, Lottie and William Hutchinson, imagined the theater to be similar to a place you would find in San Francisco. They anticipated only showing family friendly shows, hosting ladies nights and other reputable entertainment; however, they quickly succumbed to the Tombstone populace who desired more simple and base entertainment.
The theater is featured in the movie Tombstone, which gives an account of what a show would have been like in the theater (it is true that the audience did occasionally fire their revolvers in the theater). It was a place for miners, Cowboys and townsfolk to get drinks and a night of entertainment.
The longest poker game in history was played in the basement of the Bird Cage Theater. The game began in 1881 and was played continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 1889 (lasting 8 years, 5 months and 3 days!). The approximate total exchange of money during the game neared $10 million and some notable players that cycled through include Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday. The table that the game was played on has essentially remained untouched in the basement (with the exception of a few interesting/touristy embellishments).
The Bird Cage Theater is reported to be extremely haunted and has been featured on numerous television shows. Local folklore believes that upwards of 26 people were killed in the Bird Cage Theater.
Interesting Facts
- Tombstone’s post office was established on December 2, 1878 and is still in operation to this day
- The 1993 film Tombstone was filmed primarily at Old Tucson Studios Mescal, AZ location (nothing was filmed in the actual town of Tombstone)
- Tombstone had one of the first public swimming pools in Arizona, which is still in use today
Our Visit & Recommendations
My parents and I made the spur of the moment decision to drive to, visit and return from Tombstone all in one day (being in California, this made for one heck of a road trip). We traversed mountains, crossed scorching deserts and passed through the famous western towns of Yuma and Tucson on our way to Tombstone.
As we approached the town, we observed a few interesting things right away. The temperature had dropped considerably due to the elevation (compared to the 100+ degrees of the desert) and the area surrounding historic Tombstone was fairly modernized. One thing we had to remind ourselves was that Tombstone is still an active town with around 1,300 year-round citizens- a town that thrives on tourism.
We found free parking near the edge of town (about a three minute walk to historic Allen Street) and headed out to see the exhibits and shops of Tombstone. Since we visited on a weekday the streets were fairly empty, which made the experience even more authentic (there weren’t dozens of tourists walking about). Allen Street is also blocked from vehicle traffic, which enables tourists to walk about freely and adds to the historic value of the town.
One exhibit we didn’t want to miss was a reenactment of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The gunfight is reenacted four times every day at the O.K. Corral Historic Complex, with the entire show lasting about 30 minutes. But before we saw the show, we took some time to explore the exhibits that are on display. There are a total of 11 exhibits, including the actual site of the gunfight, the O.K. Corral stables from the 1880s, a historic hearse, and C. S. Fly’s Photographic Gallery and Boarding House.
As we viewed the exhibits and artifacts, one question came to mind: if the gunfight took place in a lot next to C. S. Fly’s Photographic Studio on Fremont Street (and not exactly at the O.K. Corral), then why has it been immortalized as the gunfight at the O.K. Corral? Perhaps the answer is because of the 1957 movie Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Ever since the film’s release, the most famous wild west shootout has been referred to by that title.
After the fun and theatrical reenactment of the gunfight, we headed out for lunch at the Crystal Palace Saloon on the corner of Fifth and Allen Streets. First established in 1879 as the Golden Eagle Brewery, the Crystal Palace still serves patrons, now with a good meal and drink. It being such a slow day in Tombstone, we even noticed the performers from the O.K. Corral show that we previously attended sitting at the bar eating their lunch. Our experience there was pretty good- the food was tasty and the western atmosphere was complete with actual flies buzzing overhead (hey- we were in Tombstone!).
Following lunch we walked over to the famous Bird Cage Theater for a tour. My dad and I were most excited for this stop, mainly due to the theater’s history and role in Tombstone and because it was left very similar to how is was in the 1880s.
The Bird Cage Theater tour costs $14 for adults and is open 9am – 6pm daily. Being a self-guided tour, we were able to spend as much time as we wanted in the theater. Much of the furniture, artifacts and drapery are completely original- its as if everyone simply vanished and the theater has remained the same since the 1800s.
One of the most remarkable things to see (and fun to look for around the theater) are the bullet holes that mark much of the woodwork (including the ceiling and area around the stage). The walls of the theater are lined with exhibits- take your time and explore the vast amounts of information provided there.
After we saw the theater, we headed to the basement to see the poker tables- where the longest poker game in history was played. The basement is littered with old chairs, bottles and mounds of dust. It is a creepy space that gave us a strange vibe. On that note, the Bird Cage Theater also offers evening ghost tours for those seeking a paranormal experience or simply a night excursion through one of the most famous buildings in the wild west.
We continued to walk the streets and explore the unique shops of Allen Street. We made sure to stop by the local cigar shop and meander the dusty streets while we smoked our stogies- a connection to the men who did the very same over 125 years ago.
Before leaving town we visited and toured the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park. Built of red brick in 1882, the Tombstone Courthouse now serves as a museum that goes into the social, political and financial history of Tombstone. If you plan on visiting here, give yourself time to see all of the exhibits.
Our trip to Tombstone was a ton of fun and made memories for a lifetime for my parents and I. Despite spending most of the day on the road, the four hours we spent in Tombstone were well spent!